Key Bible Verse: "When you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!" (Matthew 25:40). Bonus Reading: 2 Corinthians 2:14-3:5

Walking out of the packed mall, I prayed, "God, help me connect with people in ways that make a difference for Your kingdom." As I neared my car in the lot, I noticed a pickup with a man working under the hood. "Not now!" I silently objected, "I'll be late for my meeting." "Can I help?" I asked, hoping he'd say no.

He said yes. I cranked the starter when he said to. Between cranks he said he'd done lots wrong but had worked with a Christian in his former job. Now unemployed, he was traveling to where he hoped a job was waiting. Learning that I was a Christian, he asked about Jesus' forgiveness. Our discussion turned to the Bible. He would read it, he said, if he had a copy.

I helped him borrow tools from a nearby shop, talked through repair options with him, and kept cranking the starter till he got the engine running and the distributor adjusted. I offered to buy him dinner, but he didn't have time. After he left to return the tools, I placed a note and money for a Bible or a meal on his steering wheel.

When I got home, my daughter asked, "Did you help a guy in a parking lot?" He'd called to thank me.

—Stephen Sorenson in Like Your Neighbor?

My Response: I'll pray Stephen's shopping-mall prayer today.

Thought to Apply: We must not spare our hand where it can perform a service [nor] assume that our schedule is our own to manage. —DIETRICH BONHOEFFER (German pastor)

Adapted from Like Your Neighbor? (InterVarsity, 2005) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

You are never weary, O Lord, of doing us good. Let us never be weary of serving you. —John Wesley

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